of detroit



Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

EDWARD LYONS, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 'lO PARKE, DAVIS COMPANY,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORTRGBATION OF NZICHIGAN.

ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUND.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to the preparation of a new series of compounds derived from mercury salts and certain organic com pounds containing one or more carbonyl (CO) or sulfonyl (SO groups. These new compounds are of especial utility for their germicidal, antiseptic antisyphiiitic properties and are usually obtained as white or slightly yellow bodies which do not give the ionic test for mercury with an alkali, i. e. they do not precipitate mercuric oxide when treated with sodium hydroxide.

As an example of one of the new compounds, I shall first describe the preparation of a mercury derivative of diethyl-sul fone-dimethyl methane (sulfonal), which contains 2 sulfonyl groups, as will. be seen from the following formula:

According to my new process, I have found that it is possible to obtain from this compound several different mercury derivatives according to the number of sulfonyl groups affected but the one which is most readily obtained pure contains four atoms of mercury to one of sulfonal-and probably has the following structural formula:

that a characteristic feature of the mercurial compounds discovered by me is that they Application filed November 12, 1523. Serial No. 874,387.

contain the mercury grouped according to the following relation:

In the less than able affected.

on of the sulfonal derivafour atoms of mercury the proc as follows: 2.28 grams sulfonal are spe i led in hot water, to which is addc l u sodium hydroxide (or an equivlilach portion or the acetate is allowed to react before another added and the process is continued until mercury ions are no longer present when the precipitate is washed thoroughly and dried. For its purification, it is dissolved in glacial acetic acid forming a saturated solution from which a water soluble product is obtained containing as many a three or four molecules of acetic acid. This product is washed with small amounts of water, then .vith alcohol and ether, after which it is re-dissohred in water and upon the addition of an alkali a pure white precipitate is obtained represented by the following formula:

(CH3)2C(SO2) (CJ'IQ AHgO.

2 Analysis of this ibstance gave 44.34%

mercury, whereas the theory for this formula is 43.54% mercury. It has also been grams of mercury acetate.

t not shows a per- (iii found that other analogous compounds can be formed starting with other organic bodies containing the sul'lmiyl igroup, for example henzole sull'inid (sacchariu) may i be used and l have prepared a n'umomercury derivative of this substance according to the lfollowinrg prccedurm lwent ,Qflillllil saccharin (Ll/i grams excess) are lissolved in 100 cc. water will the ad e1? cc, of a solution containing l-l grams caustic e. sodium hydroxide. This solution is heated and a solution of 3.18 grams mercuric ace ate in cc. water is added thereto drop by drop. At first a yellow precipitate may la lioru'ied, but this soon iliss zolves and when all the acetate is added a colorless, sljglatly alkaline solutiijin is obtained. This is filtered from a slight amount of impurity and poured into methyl or ethyl alcohol, thcrel'iy precipitating a white waters ible compound corresponding to the "following formula:

l N-Nmllgl.) (l3) Two tests for the mercury content oi this compound gave 47.4: and l"i.(3% mercury, while the theory for che above formula is 47.51%.

For the preparation of the di and tri-mercury derivatives oil benzotc sullinid, it preferable to use the monoderivative as the starting poi nt, rather than carry the reaction out in one stop, because in this way, it is pos-- .-:ihle to obtain the product less contaminated. The procedure is similar to that outlined above for the menomerciu' derivative cept that in this case only two equivalents of sodium hydroxide are used. 'il he compounds obtained are mormsodium salts having two or three mercury atoms according to the amount which is desired. The di-mercury compound is represented by the follow-- ing formula:

N-Na) .2 HgO (7) l S02 and has been found to contain 63.1% and 38.17% of mercury, while the theory accord- N-Ne.) .3 ri e (8) -S02 v lln the henzcoie sulfinid compounds a described it will be noted that there is only one sul'lonyl group and, therefore, it would be expected, that only two atoms of mercury could be introduced into the molecule but it w ll he noted lliat the compound also c0nair-1 =1 (llllll ,1 group and l. have found also that merciu, lfil'iWLtlVuS may be obtalned In the yu'eparation of these new mercurial cenioouuds "1 do not wish to limit myself '1 the use of mer zlO acetate alone for it is that other soluble salts of mercury he used equally as well. Freshly prencrcuric eyide may also be used -for g out the reaction, although it is flab e to use a soluble salt, which in the iice at an alluali terms the nascent oxide wh ch combines with the organic opium-1! with which it is desired that it shou d react.

From the above description, it will. be seen that l l are 'llSCOYQIQil a new series of compounds, which may be considered as the mercru'ial derivatives of organic substances eoi aining; the carbonyl or the sulfonyl group and that these substances have the mercury so comb ned that they fail to give the ionic test :tor mercury u to sodium hydr tide, thus differentiating the compounds trim a large number of organic mercury comrmuuds previously known to science. i i hat ll claim as my invention is:-

1. Ir new organic mercury compound cont 1e 'lollowing group:

iiie new mercury compounds obtained by the .1l1l01-1(jl3l0ll ot' mercuric oxide with OW'EHHC :ompounds containing the sultonyl o up.

n A o. 1 5.

which may be regarded as a derivative of organic compound containing the sultonyi oup and mercuric oxide, said com- -l-. A new organic mercury compound pound not giving the ionic test for mercury with caustics and being represented by a structural formula containing the following group:

5. A new organic mercury compound which may be regarded as a derivative of an organic compound containing the sulfonyl group and mercuric oxide, said compound not giving the ionic test for mercury with caustics and being represented by a structural formula containing the following group:

6. A new organic mercury compound which may be regarded as a derivative of sulfonal and a salt of mercury, said compound being a white crystalline body not capable of giving the ionic test for mercury with caustics.

7. A new organic mercury compound represented by the following structural formula:

0 OH; s o

where X and X represent carbonyl or sulfonyl groups, said new mercury compound containing the mercury directly linked to the oxygen of the carbonyl or sulfonyl groups according to the formula where Y represents carbon or sulphur and R represents an or anic radical.

11. A new organic mercury compound which is the reaction product of mercuric oxide with an organic compound having the structure where X and X represent carbonyl or sulfonyl groups and M represents a metal, said new mercury compound containing the mercury directly linked to the oxygen of the carbonyl or sulfonyl groups according to the formula where Y represents carbon or sulphur and It represents an organic radical.

12. A new organic mercury compound represented by the following structural formula wherein X represents CO, S0

M represents a metal and R represents an organic radical.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD LYONS. 

